John Marshall

John Marshall (24 September 1755-6 July 1835) was Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court from 4 February 1801 to 6 July 1835, succeeding Oliver Ellsworth and preceding Roger B. Taney; he previously served as US Secretary of State from 13 June 1800 to 4 March 1801 (succeeding Timothy Pickering and preceding James Madison) and as a member of the US House of Representatives (F-VA 13) from 5 March 1799 to 6 June 1800 (succeeding John Clopton and preceding Littleton Waller Tazewell).

Biography
John Marshall was born in Germantown, Fauquier County, Virginia in 1755. He joined the Continental Army at the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, serving in numerous battles. During the later stages of the war, he became a lawyer and was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. He favored the ratification of the US Constitution and played a major role in Virginia's ratification of that document. Under President John Adams, he travelled to France in 1797 to help bring an end to attacks on American shipping, leading to the XYZ Affair.

Chief Justice
After returning to America, he was elected to the US House of Representatives as a Federalist, and he served as Secretary of State from 1800 to 1801, when he was appointed to the US Supreme Court by President Adams. He quickly emerged as the key figure on the court, setting a precedent that the Supreme Court should issue a clear majority opinion to elucidate a clear rule. In the 1803 case Marbury v. Madison, he upheld the principle of judicial review, whereby courts could strike down unconstitutional laws. He helped cement the judiciary's equality with the other branches of government, and he confirmed the supremacy of the federal government and the Constitution over the states after several more cases. He died in 1835, and President Andrew Jackson appointed Roger B. Taney as his successor.